1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turbomachine, such as a static gas turbine or an aero engine, specifically to a seal support and production thereof for use in the region of what is termed the inner air seal (IAS) of a turbomachine.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Turbomachines, such as static gas turbines and aero engines, have been known for a long time and are used in many ways. Such turbomachines have an annular flow duct in which rotatable rotor blades and static guide vanes are arranged in the form of rotor blade rings and guide vane rings. The air flowing in is compressed, in the region of the compressor, by the arrangement of the rotor blade rings and guide vane rings and, in the region of the turbine, the turbomachine can be driven by the hot gas flowing out of the combustor. In order to achieve a high degree of efficiency, the housing structure surrounding the flow duct is formed, as far as possible, such that in optimum circumstances all the fluid flowing through the turbomachine has to flow past the guide vanes and rotor blades in the flow duct and radial gas losses are avoided. Accordingly, it is known to provide, in the housing structure, what are termed inner air seals and outer air seals as radially inner and radially outer seals for the flow fluid.
For the turbine sector, DE 10 2008 048 006 A1 describes an example of a seal arrangement in the region of the inner air seal (IAS), which is also shown in the attached FIG. 10. FIG. 10 shows here, in section along the axial direction of the turbomachine, a first rotor blade row 1, a guide vane ring 2 and a further rotor blade row 3. An inner shroud 5 is arranged on the rotor blades and an inner shroud 4 is arranged on the guide vanes, these shrouds together forming the radially inner boundary wall of the flow duct. Hot gas can, however, escape radially from the flow duct through the gaps between the rotor blades and guide vanes such that, in the radially inner housing structure, a seal arrangement is provided whose seal 8 is arranged on the vane roots 6 of the guide vanes 2 by means of a seal support 7.
On the seal support 7 there is provided, on one hand, what is termed a cover element 9 which, together with an axially projecting region of the rotor blade ring 1, forms what is termed a labyrinth seal in order to avoid the direct penetration of hot gas from the flow duct into the cavity of the housing structure. Furthermore, there is provided on the seal support 7 a honeycomb seal 8 which is in engagement with a seal structure 10 which corotates with the rotor blade ring 3 (element 11 representing a flange).
Although such a seal in the region of the radially inner housing structure performs its sealing duties reliably, there is a need for further improvement as, in particular in the case of aero engines, reducing the weight of the turbomachine is a constant aim.
It would therefore be advantageous to have available a turbomachine and in particular a seal support for an inner air seal (IAS) which ensures safe and reliable sealing of the radially inner housing structure with respect to hot gas from the flow duct of the turbine region of the turbomachine but which allows for a reduction in the weight of the turbomachine.